Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-01-06

before he died. Thanks to his thorough
method Of instruction and the ipteres ing
manner in which he strOve to presen! the
| great truths he taught, was 20: only well
advanced for girl Of fifteen, but pos
sessed that inordinate love for books that
makes study a pleasure instead OF TASK
Much as shall always despisc john for
| his cOwardly treatment OF friendless
orphan. l can not but feel grateful to him
| for uttering the singing words that
| aroused me from my stony grief, and
| opened new source OF enjoyment to my
starving soul. Every moment I could
steal from aunt's watchful eye was DEVOTED
| to my books.
when was replenishing my humble light,
| and taking the old saucer from my hand
said. sharply:
Seems to me, Elsie, you use mighty
sight Of tallow. Mind, it costs like sixty.
Miss Jones got seven cents pound fer
her'n There is no sense in great girl like
you havin' to carry a light upstairs every
| night Betty Robins told ne she had seen
| light in your window all hours of the night,
| and that folks say you set Up to study II
catch you stealin' your time TO pore over
books, I'll burn 'em every one"
Snc set the Old cracked dish On the upper
shelf Of the pantry. and crawied upstairs,
discouraged but not conquered. Just 1T
this time / was wholly absorbed in geome-
try. made it point to learn one new
theorein every day, which l mentally
| worked out at night. In this way ldevourcd
the book reviewing until could have GeM-
onstrated every theOrem it contained with
out making single mistake. In a similar
manner l became proficient IL many other
branches. Usually attempted to master
but one study at time. AT very early
age my father had insisted on my writing
verse, story or little sketch at least once
week. This practice managed to keep up,
and after my ompositiOn-hoOk was written
through, had recourse to an old ti@e-wOrn
ledger Of my grandfather's.
On Christmas Day-it was my birthday,
tool gained courage to send one of my lit
tie poems to paper my uncle had been in
duced to take. l watched its columns
eagerly every week until my pride was
fully gratiied by seeing my own produc-
ton in print. Again and again my vanity
prompted me to write few verses, which
invariably made their appearance in the
course Of few weeks.
One evening my aunt sent me on an er.
rand to the minister's wife. She was en-
gagged when ! told my business, and gave
me new magazine to look over until she
would be 1T leisure. Among the first ar.
ticles that attracted my attention was one
Of my own little poems, clipped from the
paper for which it had been written. Ny
heart trembled joyouSly at this token of
appreciation. For few moments ]
was Supremacy happy, and then an
overwhelming sense of my utter loneliness
ma wit ho Thought
that had not single friend to rejoice over
my success, turned rapidly through the
remaining pages, until the words 'Five
hundred-dollar price, attracted my attcn-
ton. ran my eyes over it hastily, then
re-read it carefully, after which took pen
Gil and paper from my pocket and copied
the address. The prize was Offend by the
editor Of the magazine for the best serial
for girls. The story was to be of such a
length as to run through the twelve num-
bers, beginning with the New Year. All
manuscripts intended to compete for the
prize were to be in the hands of the editor
not later than June 30.
Before slept had written for particulars,
and a neighboring lad, passing early next
morning, carried it to the Office. As soon az
received the proper instructions, went te
work with will. have no doubt but that
my aunt had good reasons for her fault find
ing during the next six months, for my
mind was more upon the characters that
my imagination had created than upon my
work. Aunt had persistently denied me q
light in my room during the whole year, but
dear Margaret remembered my sixteenth
birthday by sending me dollar. Part Of
this used for oil and paper, and the bal |
ance was boarded for postage. On the 18th
Of June Hy precious package was committed
to the care Of Uncle Sam and the next
six months l waited and hoped,
yet dreaded to hear the decision that the |
20th of December might have in store for |
me. On Christmas morning my weary |
watching was changed into glad song of |
thanksgiving, for business looking letter
my uncle put into my hands brought me |
the five hundred dollars l had dreamed of |
every day for a year. had won the prize, |
how, scarcely know, unless my desperate |
case had nerved me for the conflict Prob |
ably my aching heart made itself felt |
through my finger-tips. AT any rate, had |
won the prize and the money was indis- |
putably mine.
Five hundred dollars may seem a very
insignificant sum to those who count their |
possessions by the thousands, but to me it |
meant peaceful home with my dear old |
Margaret, and relief from the bitter bread |
of dependence.
"Well, it does seem as if book-larnin' |
amounts to something, after ALL" admitted |
Aunt PEillis.
jest as told you," said Uuclc Reuben.
So The gal shows her bringn' up.''
John looked more sullen th.gn ever, |
though when he took me to the train few |
days later, overheard him explaining my |
success to a young lady, and if am not |
mistaken he proudly owned me as one Of |
the family.
AeZN D. Guk9K,.
Always he Prompt.
Half tho 1cal,le Of INV fhinor 70 he dona